Health center to hold meeting on care change

JACKSON SQ.—Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) will hold a community meeting on ending adult service at the Martha Eliot Health Center (MEHC), while some people remain perplexed about the decision to do so.

A member of the MEHC community advisory board said there are still unanswered questions about why Boston Children’s Hospital is ending adult service at the center.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) during its monthly meeting Feb. 26 pressured BCH officials to hold a community meeting regarding the issue. BCH has responded, saying it will hold a community meeting March 27. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Webb building, 1542 Columbus Ave. in Jackson Square.

BCH announced in January that it is ending service for about 5,000 adult patients at MEHC, which is located at 75 Bickford St. in Jackson Square. Adult service is provided in partnership with Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), which was not consulted about the decision. BCH is also reviewing what care to provide to children at MEHC.

Mildred Hailey, who sits on the advisory board, said BCH “has not adequately answered” why it is ending adult service at MEHC. The advisory board was not consulted about the decision. The Gazette spoke with Hailey the day after a March 11 advisory board meeting with MEHC and BCH officials.

She said the decision is still unclear despite BCH saying it is not a financial decision, but a result of complex changes in health care.

“What are the other answers?” she said.

BCH spokesperson Rob Graham said BCH and MEHC are working “carefully” to transition adult patients to other providers and that they have been in consultation with 15 community health centers and practices during the process.

“We are pleased by the efforts made by the MEHC staff and our adult patients to work through the change,” said Graham. “Our goal is to transition all adult patients by July.”